Laminated rubber tension spring for motor vehicle suspension



LAMINATED RUBBER TENSION SPRING FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SUSPENSION Original Filed Aug'. 28, 1936 I JANE: EDER/Ck 0/ V SQPER mvElyron ATTURNEYJ Patented Mar. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE LAMINATED RUBBER TENSION SPRING FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SUSPENSION James Frederick Soper, Balclutha, New Zcaland Original application August 28, 1936, Serial No.

Divided and this application August 16,1937, SerialNo. 159,214 r 1 Claim.

This invention relates to spring suspending the front wheels of motor cars and motor driven vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a 6 laminated rubber tension spring, in lieu of coiled helical or leaf springs, for an independent front ber tension spring is mounted outside the wheel,

the wheel displacement is not unduly limited,

as the wheel displacement will always be greater than the extension of the laminated rubber tension spring.

This application is a divisional application of my United States application Serial No. 98,363,

20 filed August 28, 1936.

Moreover, the laminated rubber tension spring maybe built of tested rubber of any thickness and strength required, so that a much greater progressive resistance to extension can be ob- Q. tained therefrom. x

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 represents a part central vertical section through a portion of a wheel structure, and a part side elevationshowing thelaminated rub- 30 ber tension spring embodying my invention.

' Figure 2 is a part transverse section of a wheel structure showing a plan of the springing system and the laminated rubber tension spring.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the lami- 85 nated rubber tension spring on the line B'B in Figure 1. 1 Referring to the drawing, the invention is characterized by a construction in which the axle beam I is disposed transversely under or over 40 the longitudinal frame members of the vehicle and rigidly attached to the frame members.

The end 2 of the axle beam I extends outward into the centre plane of the wheel 3 which is deeply dished.

45 A double guide block 4 of substantial construction, which may be a castingor forging, is formed with partly cylindrical portions as at 5 and So at each end of the centre boss 6 joined thereto by webs 1. These end cylindrical portions of the 50, double guide block 4, are each formed with a bore into which bushes or sleeves 8 and 9 are driven.

The double guide block 4 is formedwith a central opening l therethrough to accommodate 55 the end 2 of the axle beam I, the guide block.

(Cl. 267e-21) being pivotally mounted on a pin H in the end of the axle beam. A portion of the pin H extends above and below the axle beam, the upper extension engaging in a bush I2 and the lower extension engaging in a bush i2a provided in it thebore 43 of the central boss 6 of the guide block. As the pivot pin H has to be passed an easy fit into the bushes l2 and im, the centre portion of the pin H may be secured in position in the bore in the end 2 of the axle beam by means of aset screw, tapered pin or the like.

The vertical axis of the pivot pin II is aligned with the centre of the tyre tread l of the wheel 3.

Two cylindrical tubular members It and I5a are provided, one engaging in the bore of the bush 8, the other in the bore of the bush 9 of the guide block 4; the ends of the tubular members are closed by means of spigotted washers.

The brake anchorage plate I8 is shown in Fig ures 1 and 2 of the drawing and is surrounded by a rim; the rim extends outwardly a sufiicient distanceto house the double guide block 4. The sides l9 and 19a, of the brake anchorage plate, are parallel to each other; the upper end 2t is formed to support a universal joint 26, the lower end 2! being formed with a central channel shaped recess 22 to allow for a greater up and down displacement of the wheel 3 relative to the guide block 4.

A stub axle 23, on which the wheel 3 is free to revolve, extends outward at right angles from the outer surface 24 of the brake anchorage plate I8. The stub axle may form an integral part of the brake anchorage plate, or it may be 55 secured thereto by welding the flange 25 to the surface 24 of the anchorage plate i8.

The universal T shaped joint 26 is disposed in the upper end plate 20, the vertical pivot pin 21 thereof is in alignment with, the pivot pin II in the end 2 of the axle beam. The load is carried on a ball orroller bearing 21a disposed on the verticalpin 21 and resting in a recess provided in the upper end plate 2i], between the upper surface of the end plate and the horizontal .15

surface of the universal joint. The vertical pivot pin 21 is secured to th underside of the end plate 20 by means of a not H with a thrust washer interposed between the under surface of the plate 20 and the nut. 50 I members l6 and l6a, when mounted on the pivot 5 pin H in the end 2 of the axle beam l, and the anchorage plate It passed onto the tubular members, the outer surface of the spigotted washers, in the ends of the tubular members, contact with the inner surface of the upper and lower rims 2B and 2| of the brake anchorage plate [8. The tubular members It and 16a being secured to the upper and lower rims 20 and 2! of the brake anchorage plate is by the clamping bolts 28 and 28a.

A lever is provided consisting of two plates 29 and 29a, the outer end of the levers are'spaced.

to be passed onto the ends of the horizontal part 39 of the universal joint 26 and pivotally mounted thereto on a pin or bolt 3i secured by means of a nut.

To reduce frictionthe pin or bolt Si may be provided with needle rollers, or the like, disposed in the recess 32 around the pin or bolt 3|.

The plates 29 and 29a of the lever, beyond the brake anchorage plate It, are spaced wider apart to permit a rubber tension spring being passed between the plates. I

To stiffen the inner ends of the lever plates 29 and Eda-a sleeve or distancepiece 35 is provided and disposed :betweenthem. Each inner end of the lever plates is pivotally mounted to the lower end of a link orshackle 3"! and 31a, a bolt 38 securing the link and sleeve in position. The upper ends of each link or shackle 31' and 31a is pivoted to the eyes 39 and 39a of a bracket 4!]; a sleeve or distance piece 4! is disposed between the eyes of the bracket 453, a bolt 33 being passed into the links 3? and 31a, eyes39 andt a of the bracket ll}, and sleeve 4!, the bolt 33 being secured by means of a nut.

The base 40a of the bracket 48 is preferably secured to a side frameof the vehicle by-means of bolts 42.

The rubber tension spring 34 may be moulded and shaped to therequired section. The rubber tension spring may be constructed of a band of rubber, or other suitable elastic material, of the required width and. thickness, wound, under increasing tension, round the upper and lower sleeves 43 and 44', the sleeves, when winding the band thereon, being held at their respective distance apart by means of a removable spacing block, by'this means forming a laminated rubber tension spring. I

The coils or layers 34a of the rubber band forming the laminated rubber tension spring may be prevented from uncoiling by means of spaced clamps 52, one of the clamps being located just abovethe upper sleeve 43 and the other one immediately below the lower sleeve 44, or they may be secured together by other suitable means.

The clamps also prevent the equalizing .of the tension of the strands relative to each other.

In forming the laminated rubber tension spring the outer coils are wound under greater tension than the inner coils; by this construction the initial load is carried by the outer coils, the inner coils being stressed only when the maximum load is applied.

It will be apparent that, the strength of the laminated rubber tension spring is determined by the number and thickness of the coils or laminations thereon. Moreover, as only the surface of the outer coil and the edges of the laminations are exposed to the atmosphere, the rubber, or material of which the spring is constructed, will not deteriorate readily.

The laminatedrubber tension spring is light,

consequently, convenient to handle, compact and powerful, and may be housed in a confined space.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the rubber spring is disposed between the plates 29 and 29a forming the lever, a substantial bolt 43a is then passed through holes in the side plates of the lever and the sleeve 43 secured therein by means of a nut.

The lower sleeve 44, in the rubber spring 34, is

at each. side, the centres of the holes being aligned with the centres of the threaded bores 48 in the sleeves 41. A threaded bolt 50 is passed into each hole and engage in the threaded bore it of itstensionscrew; a lock nut 50a is. provided to prevent the threaded bolts 59 from slackening.

The double guide. block 4 .is housed in the space bounded byv the projecting rim around the brake anchorage plate The partially enclosed space M may be completely enclosed by providing a cover plate over the opening 5!. The cover plate may be secured to the surrounding rim of the brake anchorage plate by screws or other well known means.

The steering is eifected from the steering mechanism through connections with an arm, 55 having a tapered end to engage a corresponding tapered bore in 2. lug 56 secured therein by means of a nut.v The mg 55 projects from theboss 6.0T the double guide block. 'f

The wheels 3 are caused to turn in unison on the pivot pin H by coupling the arms 55 with a tie or track rod.

Means is provided for lubricating the bushes or sleeves 3 and 9 in'the double guide block 4 in which the tubular members It and I611 slidably engage, and the. upper and lower portions of the pivot pin it which engage in the bushes l2 and [2a in the centre bossfi of the double guide block t, by providing oil wells or the like in a suitable position having oilways or pipes leading therefrom to the rubbing surfaces of the wearing parts.

A rubber block may be provided in a suitable position on the axle beam so as to prevent clashing on recoil. A shock-absorber may be fitted between the sides 29 and 29a of the lever and the axle beam.

The aforemention d description of the springing system, with the laminated rubber tension spring, applies only. to one front wheel. It will be understood, however, that the opposite front wheel is provided with a duplicate mechanism.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure byLetters Patent is: v

An extensible device for use as a shock absorber comprising a pair of spaced bushes, a rubber band Wound around said bushes under progresively increasing tension to form .a plurality of resilient strands, each outwardly lying strand being under greater tension than the inwardly lying adjacent strand and separate means securing said strands together at spaced points to prevent uncoiling and the equalizing of the tension.

of the strands relative to each other.

JAMES FREDERICK SOPER. 

